Lubricator.



No. 771,052. PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904, J. H. A. FORTIN.

LUBRIGATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 771,052. PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

J; H. A. 1 0mm LUBRIGATOR.

APPLICATION IILEQ JAN. 10, 1901. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

A TTORNEYS.

, UNITED STATES Patented September 27, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JULES HENRI A. FORTIN, OF RAISMES, FRANCE.

LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 771,052, datedSeptember 27, 1904. Application filed January 10, 1901. Serial No.42,774. (No model.)

To rrZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ULES HENRI ALEXAN- DRE FORTIN, a citizen of theRepublic of France, residing at Raismes, France, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Lubricators, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in devices forlubricating steam and other engines and other machinery; and theinvention consists in certain details of construction and combinationsof parts, which will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointedout in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central sectionthrough a lubricator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe same, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3,Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is aplan view of the lubricator shown in the preceding figures. Fig. 6 is avertical central section through another form of lubricator embodying myinvention. Fig. 7 is a top view of the same. Figs. 8 and 9 are detailcentral sections through a three-way cock employed in the apparatusshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on line 19 19, Fig. 1.Fig. 11 is a horizontal section on line 20 20, Fig. 1; and Fig. 12 is avertical central section, on an enlarged scale, through one of thesight-feed glasses and its connections.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the lubricator shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11,and 12, A indicates the lower part, and A the upper part, of acompression-chamber, which is of any suitable form-such, for instance,as that shown and which is provided at its interior with a flexiblediaphragm F,- which is of such form as to be capable of movement withinthe chamber, thereby dividing the same into two compartments a Z) ofvariable capacity. The diaphragm F may be made of vulcanized rubber withan inner layer of textile material, of some suitable vegetable fiber, ofsewed or beaten leather, of asbestos, or of any other suitable material,so combined as to withstand well wear and tear and hot water should thecase require it. It may also in some cases be made of thin metal. To thediaphragm F is attached a piston-rod G, which extends to the outside ofthe apparatus and is preferably provided with graduations, as shown,whereby to indicate the position of the diaphragm, and thus the quantityof oil remaining in the device. The guide 6 of the piston-rod extendsthrough the reservoir B and is provided with an enlargement having twoducts N N, one of which, as N, communicates at its lower end with thecompartment Z2 and at its upper end with a connecting compartment formedby the outer casing-wall of the reservoir B, the guide 7), a horizontaldiaphragm or plate 25, the cover 23 of the oil-reservoir, and twovertical partitions t 6 Fig. 10, and continues in upward direction fromsaid compartment through the enlarged head 6* of the guide I) and thencein outward direction, terminating at the side of the head. The secondduct, N, extends from the compartment 6 also in upward direction, butdoes not communicate with said connecting compartment, but passesdirectly and continuously through the enlargement of the guide 6 andterminates at the side of the enlarged head 6* a short distance from theduct N. From the diaphragm or plate It extends in downward direction inthe reservoir a tube L, which terminates at its lower end in the uppermember of a hydraulic seal M, the lower member of which communicates bya bore 6 and pipe P with the casing R of a three -way valve R. From thecasing R pipes Q, and Z also extend, and said valve is provided withconnected bores c 0, adapted to place the pipe P in communication with abore Q in the part A leading to the lower compartment a of thecompression-chamber, and from said bore 0 a branch bore 0 extends insuch position as to place said bore 0 in communication with thedischarge-pipe Q. The bore 0 serves also when the valve is in properposition to place the pipe Z, supplying exhaust-steam, in communicationwith the bore a, whence the steam passes into the lower compartment 0;,the bore 0 being in this case out of communication with pipe Q. From theupper part of the reservoir extend in downward direction suitableoil-ducts X X X for conducting away the oil. Each duct X communicates atits lower end with a duct 6 in the lower support (Z of a sight-feedglass S, said bore extending in upward direction and communicating withthe interior of the glass. A needle-valveT controls the passage of oilfrom X to a. The upper support (1 of the sight-feed glass S is providedwith an exit-duct Z2 for the oil, said duct being arranged partly in aremovable plug 6 which serves to support a ball U, forming a ballcheck-valve in said duct. In line with the glass S is also located insaid support a removable plug (0 for facilitating cleaning of the parts.A discharge-pipe X, communicating with 6 serves for conducting the oilaway to the place of use. For charging the oilreservoir B with oil andthe upper compartment 6 of the compression-chamber with water afunnel-shaped cup C is provided, which is mounted rotatably by means ofa suitable, preferably conical, bearing upon the upper part of thedevice as, for instance, upon the enlarged upper end or head 6* of theguide sleeve band normally closed by suitable slotted covers J K, thelower cover K of which is secured frictionally or otherwise to the cup0, so as to turn with the same when the cup is rotated, and is providedwith areshaped slots t. (Indicated in dotted lines in Fig. The enlargedupper end or head 12* is preferably provided with a flat or number offlats at its screw-threaded upper portion, as indicated in dotted linesat a in Fig. 5. The upper cover J is provided with an opening ofcorresponding shape, so as to fit upon said. upper portion, and isthereby prevented from turning with the cup when the latter is rotated.The upper cover J fits upon the cup and incloses with the cup the innercover, as indicated in Fig. 1, and is provided With slots 25. (Showninfulllinesin Fig. A nut a is screwed upon the upper end of the enlargedportion Z)", thereby securing the cover J in place. The slots of saidcovers when placed in register by turning the cup, and thereby the coverK, for a portion of a rotation, permit supplying the oil or water intothe cup C. The cup is divided at its interior by suitable partitionsinto four compartments d d (Z (P, Fig. 11, the larger, d 0Z of which areadapted to communicate, respectively, by means of suitable openings inthe inner wall of the cup with theduct N and with a duct V of theenlarged head 5*, which delivers into the oil-reservoir B. The smallercompartments (Z (Z communicate by suitable openings with the duct N andwith a duct V in the head 7), opening into the oil-reservoir B. Asuitable stuffing-box H and gland I secure tight connection between thepistonrod G and the head I) of its guide-sleeve. The lower compartmentto of the comp ressionchamber is provided with a removable plug 0,giving access to the chamber. In the pipe Z is preferably located asuitable check-valve y, preventing backflow in said pipe. Forfacilitating cleaning of the sight-feed glass a bore (Z provided with asuitable ball checkvalve CZ", is arranged in aplug d of the lowersupport d of the glass. In case for any reason it is desired topermanently close the duct or bore, so as to prevent access through thesame to the interior of the gage-glass, this is done by means of a plug0?, Fig. 12. The operation of this lubricator is as follows: The valve Ris set by its handle in closed position, shutting off all communicationthrough the same. The lubricator is then inverted, the plug 0 removed,water poured into the lower compartment until filled, the plug 0replaced, and the lubricator returned to normal position, the diaphragmbeing in lowermost position, as in Fig. 1. The cup C, carrying the coverK, is turned by hand or any suitable tool, so as to bring the slots t*t", Fig. 5, of the covers in register and give access to the largercompartments cl d and place the openings of the cup C in communicationwith the ducts N N V V, as shown in Fig. 11. Water is now supplied intothe compartment cl, whence it passes through duct N into the connectingcompartment and thence through continuation of duct N into the uppercompartment 6 of the compression-chamber until the same is filled. Theupper end of the tube L projects slightly above the diaphragm t, and thecommunicating portion of the bore N is of less, or at all events nolarger, diameter than the outgoing portion. Hence the water does not toany extent pass down said tube L, but is conducted away through N asfast as it arrives in the connecting compartment. Should a smallquantity of water pass through the tube L into the oil-reservoir B, thiswould not interfere with the proper working of the apparatus. Airescapes from the compartment 6 during the entrance of the water thereinby way of duct N and compartment d, which is also open to the atmosphereby the slots t Oil is now supplied through compartment (Z and duct Vinto the oil-reservoir, in which it rises, floating upon the surface ofany water in the reservoir, and the air displaced escapes by way of ductd and the slots in the covers J K. When filled, the cup 0 and cover Kare rotated so as to close the cup and so as to move all the openings ofthe same out of register with the ducts N N V V and close the ducts attheir upper ends. The valve R is now turned into the position shown inFig. 9, whereby pipe Z supplies steam under suitable pressure,preferably low, as exhaust-steam, to the compartment a, the steamcondensing as it contacts with the water, and thereby slowly increasingthe volume of water in the compartment in addition to exercisingpressure upon the same. The needle valve T is opened slightly, and thepressure on the diaphragm at its lower side causes it to rise and forcethe water in the compartment 6 through bore N into the connectingcompartment before referred to and thence through tube L and thehydraulic seal M into the oil-reservoir at the lower portion of thesame, causing the level of the oil to rise until finally oil flows intothe ducts X at the upper part of the reservoir and thence into duct (1by way of the needle-valve into the sight-feed glass S and through duct6 and pipe X to the place of use. The flow of oil is regulated byturning the needle-valve until theexact quantity required is fed. As thediaphragm rises the piston-rod G is moved outwardly, and when by theposition of the same it is shown that the diaphragm is nearly at thelimit of its motion the valve R is turned into the position indicated inFig. 1 and the cup C, with cover K, rotated, so as to open the ducts toatmospheric air, as when filling. Water now flows out from theoil-reservoir through the seal M, duct 6 pipe P, ducts c c 0 and pipe Q,and from the compartment to through ducts q 0 c and pipe Q, thepiston-rod and diaphragm descending by gravity. When the piston-rodarrives at its initial position, Fig. 1, and water in this manner flowsfrom the pipe Q, it

is an indication that the water has descended in the oil-reservoir tothe level of the lower member of the seal M. There may be and ordinarilywill be a thin layer of oil remaining in this water, the apparatus beingso constructed that the upward movement of the diaphragm during workingand the resulting upward movement of the water in the oil reservoir B,with the oil above it, is arrested for safety before said water-levelarrives at the upper ends of the ducts X within the reservoir. This thinlayer of oil, however, cannot escape when running oif the water throughthe seal M because of the upper overhanging portion n of the seal, whichis constructed projecting downwardly over the lower portion n to a depthexceeding the thickness of said oil layer. The water having beendischarged as described, the valve R is turned into the position shownin Fig. 1 and the upper compartment 5 and reservoir B charged with waterand oil, respectively, as before described, cup 0 closed and turned, andthe valve R set as in Fig. 9, and the operation of the device continues.For cleaning the sightfeed glass or adjacent parts when the device isnot in use the plugs a and 0? may be removed, the plug d replaced, asmall syringe or force-pump applied to the bore (2 the needle-valveopened, and a cleaning liquid run through the glass. By removing plugs(0 and 6 access is given for cleaning the glass by cotton-waste orothersuitable material.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate amodified construction of compression-chamber.sion-chamber shown does not contain oil, but is adapted to be connectedby means of pipe The compres X with an oil-containing device oroil-reservoir, which may be, for example, of the same construction asthat shown in Fig. 1, the pipe X being connected to the lower end ofduct N. A number of such reservoirs may be connected to a single pipe Xwhereby independent compressors for each oil-reservoir are dispensedwith and a simultaneous and uniform flow obtained for all reservoirs.In-

. asmuch as the construction of the oil-reservoir does not essentiallydiffer from that shown in Fig. 1, no separate illustration from that ofFig. 1 is made. In the device shown in Fig. 6 A represents the lower,and A the upper, part of a suitable reservoir, which is divided into alower compartment (6 and an upper compartment (4* by a flexiblediaphragm F, to which is attached the lower end of a piston-rod G, whichpasses through the upper part A of the reservoir. To the lower part A isconnected the casing R of a three-way valve R said casing having twoducts a a communicating with the compartment a To the casing R areconnected a steam-supply pipe Z and a pipe Q for conducting the waterfrom said reservoir. A bore 0 in the valve R connects the pipe Z withduct (4 when the valve is in proper position, and a bore 0 connects theduct a with pipe Q whenin a different position- In the piston-rod G islocated a duct a connecting the compartments (6 a and having a ballcheck-valve a. At the upper part of the reservoir are arranged aremovable plug C a plug Z, through which the piston-rod G passes andwhich normally closes two air-vents 2', and a discharge connection 1having a bore a communicating with the discharge-pipe X and providedwith a ball check-valve y. When the apparatus is to be closed, a packingis inserted between the lower end of the plug 1 and the opposed seatformed in the wall of the casing, the plug screwed down, and thereby thevent-openings itightly closed and the piston-rod packed. The operationof this device is as follows: The device is inverted, the valve and itscasing removed, and the lower compartment (0 charged with water. Thevalve and the casing are then replaced and the device restored to itsnormal position. The diaphragm being in the position shown in Fig. 1 andthe valve R closed,the plugs C and l are removed and the compartment acharged with water, the air displaced escaping by way of the vents z'.The plugs are replaced and the valve R turned, so as to place the lowercompartment a and the steampipe Z in communication through bore 0 Thesteam exerts pressure on the diaphragm, raises the same and forcesthereby the water in the upper compartment out through bore a and pipe XThe valve to retains its position as in Fig. 6, owing to the excess ofpressure in the upper compartment. The reason of the greater pressure inthe upper compartment is that the effective area of the upper side ofthe diaphragm is reduced by that of the rod G projecting from thecasing. The steam entering the lower compartment a rapidly condenses andsupplies thereby under usual conditions of working a quantity of waterin the lower compartment approximately the same as that flowing out ofthe upper compartment. When the diaphragm has reached the limit of itsupward motion, it is returned by the attendant into its initial positionby simply pressing on the end of the rod and forcing it thereby ininward direction. By this act the pressure in the lower compartment isrendered greater than in the upper compartment, and the water in thelower compartment flows through bore a lifts valve a and enters theupper compartment, the operation of discharging the same from saidcompartment being then carried on as described with reference to theWater originally supplied therein, no recharging being necessary. Thecock R is not ordinarily employed for running off water from thereservoir, that operation not being necessary, but is necessary whencleaning the reservoir by flushing or for withdrawing the water whenputting the device out of operation for a time. A ball check-valve 0guarding the bore a and secured in place by a cap m prevents backflow ofwater into the pipe Z. It is obvious that the upper and lower portions AA respectively, of the compression-chamber may be made of uniformdiameter throughout in the form of a cylinder, in which case theflexible diaphragm may be dispensed with and a piston-head packed at itsrim by a suitable annular gasket of rubber or other material may beemployed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A lubricator, comprising a compressionchamber, adiaphragm dividing the same into two compartments, means for supplyingsteam under pressure to the lower compartment, an oil-reservoir, ahydraulic seal in the lower part of the oil-reservoir formed by adepending upper tubular portion and an upwardlyprojecting inner portionentering the same, fluid-conducting means connecting the upper portionwith the upper compartment of said compression-chamber, fluid-conductingmeans connecting the lower portion with the lower for discharging liquidfrom said oil-reservoir through said lower portion and fluid-conductingmeans, and means connected with said oilreservoir for conducting the oilaway from the same at its upper portion.

3. A lubricator, comprising a compressionchamber, a diaphragm dividingthe same into two compartments, a graduated piston-rod secured at oneend to said diaphragm and projecting at the outside of the lubricator,means for supplying steam under pressure to the lower compartment ofsaid chamber, an oilreservoir, a hydraulic seal in the lower part ofsaid oil-reservoir formed by an upper tubular portion open at its lowerend and a lower tubular portion projecting upwardly into engagement withthe same, fluid conducting means connecting the upper portion with theupper compartment, fluid-conducting means connecting the lower portionwith the lower compartment, a valve in said latter fluid-conductingmeans, discharge fluid conducting means for the oil, adapted to intakeat the upper part of the oilreservoir, sight-feed glasses connected onewith each of said dischargefiuid-conducting means, a needle-valve foreach sight-feed glass, a discharge-fluid-conducting means for conductingthe oil away from said glass, and a check-valve in said discharge-duct.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JULES HENRI A. FORTIN.

Witnesses:

FR. WARGNY, ED. MODENER.

